Would You Go With Me
by GinaSurreal
Summary: Takashi and Haruhi fly to America to vacation in Arizona for their one-year dating anniversary. Unbeknownst the her, Takashi plans to surprise her with a life-changing question; one that would secure his future and his happiness with her by his side. Follow along in a series of one-shots inspired by Josh Turner's song 'Would You Go With Me'.
1. Streets of Fire

_Would you go with me?_

_If we rolled down streets of fire._

_Would you hold onto me tighter?_

_As the summer sun got higher._

_If we roll from town to town and never shut it down._

...

Their car chased the hazed mirage at the top of the road while buzzards tauntingly flew in circles above; a bright cloudless azure sky acting as the backdrop to a scene that seemed straight out of a Western movie. Hairy cacti littered the sandy barren landscape on each side of the dusty road. The sharp wind grazed Haruhi's growing hair – which was pulled into a ponytail, for convenience – and swept her bangs to the side, forcing her to squint to protect herself from the dust and sand. The air was hot – blistering hot – yet she and Takashi wanted to experience the desert in its entirety; the sights, the sounds, the feels. Japan wasn't known for their deserts, the closest being the white sandy beaches the Morinozukas owned along Southern Japan. So it made sense they'd fly overseas to land in flat-plain Arizona. Their friends called them crazy for planning such a vacation. They accused them of wasting money and time on something so juvenile, even suggesting their own ideas for how they should celebrate their one year dating anniversary. But Haruhi and Takashi made up their mind. Their decision was mutual, not dependent on compromise or submission, but fueled by their similar definition of adventure; something fun, cost efficient, and new. They wanted somewhere attractive enough to visit, to not break their budget, and leave with fond memories not easily captured by a camera.

.

"But why the Grand Canyon?" Kaoru had questioned.

"Yeah, why not somewhere romantic like the Eiffel Tower?" Hikaru had added.

"I think the Grand Canyon is a great idea!" Hunny had chimed in, defending his cousin's decision.

"We're the ones going, not you guys, so I'd appreciate less of your criticisms," Haruhi had argued, "The Grand Canyon is a natural phenomenon, I'm actually excited to see it."

Mori agreed with his girlfriend by squeezing her shoulder and pulling her closer to his side, an innocent gesture that never failed to make her blush.

Tamaki had rolled his eyes, "I will never understand you commoners. Why you are so interested in the simplest things? It's just a giant hole in the ground."

"You guys are missing the point," Haruhi had bantered back.

.

Now that she sat beside Takashi in the 2006 Nissan Altima rental, surrounded by endless miles of serene raw earth and impressive spiraling rock formations, she was grateful they didn't budge to their friends' objections.

"Hey Takashi, is it cactuses or cacti?" Haruhi made for conversation, still watching the world outside the window.

"Hm… I'm not sure. I've heard Americans say both." He responded with a slight grin.

"I have too and now it's confusing me. I don't want to say the wrong word and have an American look at me funny." She spoke light-heartedly, knowing full well she'd probably never be in a situation when she'd need to know the plural term for 'cactus', but it was an entertaining conversation.

"Americans say weird things all the time." He chuckled as he remembered the funny accents and slang phrases that confused them greatly when they picked up their rental car from the airport. He and Haruhi must have had the dumbest looks on their faces as they tried to understand the attendant behind the counter. "They called the American dogs 'Sonoran dogs'. I'm not sure what that is and I'm too afraid to ask." He chortled.

"When we were leaving the rental counter I heard someone refer to the air-con as a 'swamp box'." Haruhi laughed.

"Yeah, I heard the attendant talking about her night shift; she called it a 'graveyard shift'. I didn't realize their job could be so morbid." He lightly shook his head and laughed.

Haruhi's laugh forced her eyes shut as her smile pushed against her cheeks. She loved laughing with Takashi. He wasn't known for his sense of humor but Haruhi had been pleasantly surprised to discover it during their year together. No one would guess his deep voice could carry a genuine laugh like sugar syrup; smooth and sweet to the ears.

She looked forward to these far in between moments when he slipped off the serious stoic mask to reveal the rare facetious side to his personality.

She felt something touch her hand and it brought her back to the reality inside their car. She looked down and saw Takashi abandoned the gear shift and reach for her. He guided her hand into his while his fingers entwined with hers. She felt a blush stain her cheeks as he gently squeezed his love and affection into her palm.

"I love you," he smiled, not taking his eyes off the road. He gripped her hand, brought it to his lips, and planted a soft kiss on the dorsal of her hand.

"I love you too Takashi." She almost sounded out of breath which sparked another light chuckle from Takashi. He took pride in how he could affect the wee little thing sitting beside him, the young woman who helped him feel a love stronger than he thought was possible.

He took a deep refreshing breath of warm desert air and willed his lungs to also absorb the pure bliss that filled the compact car. "Thank you for being mine, Haruhi."

She smiled at him and grew wide eyed at his honest expression. His lips were drawn into a content smile while his eyes were heavy with a cocktail of emotions. She could identify a few; love, happiness, complacency. The others were foreign to her and she couldn't place her finger on what he could be thinking about.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She confessed, squeezing his hand the same as he had.

Takashi's smile deepened and for a while they sat in comfortable silence, enjoying the extraordinary scenery beyond the windshield.

He was glad they were visiting the Grand Canyon at this time of year. If they came during the summer months they'd have to push through crowds of tourists and locals. He was thankful Haruhi shared his desire for placid outings; it made his job as her boyfriend easier and more enjoyable. Although he hoped by the end of their vacation he wouldn't return as her boyfriend…

Takashi took another deep breath, one thankfully missed by Haruhi, as his thoughts fiddled with the inevitable ring box hiding inside his jacket pocket, patiently waiting to expose .75 carat teardrop diamond atop a 24 carat rose-gold band. He hoped it wasn't too much for her simple tastes but he couldn't help himself… No matter the cost it would still be offered to the most priceless thing he's ever had.

...


	2. Fields of Clover

_Would you go with me?_

_If we were lost in fields of clover.__  
__Would we walk even closer?_

_Until the trip was over.__  
__And would it be okay if I didn't know the way?_

_..._

Haruhi ran her open palm against the hallowed corn stalks as she walked along the lumpy dirt path with Takashi, their fingers locked together at their sides. The sun threatened to set below the hilly horizon sending pink and purple streaks across the shadowed sky, aiding in the quiet tranquility of the evening.

The two were surprised to learn Arizona partook in corn mazes like the American Midwest. It sounded too enticing and a little too ridiculous to pass up so they sacrificed a few hours of their evening to venture into a dead corn field, curious to learn why Americans enjoyed the pass time.

Takashi was glad to see the corn stalks stood taller than him and he appreciated the feeling of getting lost, unable to see over the empty husks. It was rare when Takashi could experience fun on the same level as his companions for his height usually stole the element of surprise. Haruhi, although still a wee little thing, had grown an inch or two the previous year and now stood just below his underarm. He doubted she'd ever catch up to him but he preferred her short stature. He could never admit it, at least not anytime soon, but he slowly awakened to his fetish with small things. He loved Haruhi dearly and in no way did his fetish interfere with his tangible feelings for her but… it did fuel many erotic day dreams.

He snapped back from his thoughts when he heard their feet crunch over loose corn husks and he realized it was the first sound he's heard in a while. When they first entered the maze they could hear an occasional scream and laughter from neighboring groups but when the sky began to darken it grew increasingly silent, the only sound being the wind rustling the empty corn stalks.

"It'll get dark soon. We should probably head back." Haruhi thought out loud.

"Hm." Takashi agreed, gripping her hand and turning her around to head towards the…

"Where's the exit again?" Haruhi asked quietly, her timid voice exposing her nervousness.

Takashi couldn't answer her. Since he couldn't peer over the corn he was just as clueless as she was. He understood the purpose of a maze was to get lost inside the twisting paths but with great regret he realized they thoughtlessly wandered too far. An eerie feeling overcame them with nightfall looming ahead.

"Haruhi, I'm going to put you on my shoulders. Tell me what you see." Takashi placed his hands firmly underneath her underarms and effortlessly placed her atop his shoulders. Haruhi shouldn't have been impressed by his strength considering how many times he's swept her off her off the ground into a tight embrace against his chest. Yet every time his strong hands gripped her sides she couldn't help but blush at her boyfriend's agility.

Haruhi balanced her weight forward while her eyes scanned the farmland and to her luck she spotted the edge of the field. She couldn't be sure if it was the exit but it was a hint of hope nonetheless.

"I see the edge of the maze over there." She pointed her index finger slightly to their right, low enough for Mori to follow her direction.

"Alright, let's try it." Takashi gripped Haruhi's legs against his chest and began the tread towards what they hoped would be freedom.

"Hey, don't you want to put me down?" She asked, her hands grasping at his as she caught her balance.

Mori shrugged his shoulders to shift her weight backwards which earned him an off-guarded gasp, to his amusement. "You can be my eyes." He replied gently.

Haruhi peered down at his unruly black locks, unable to see his expression from her position, but the soft careful tone in his voice told her what he couldn't express in words; he didn't want to let her go, he enjoyed carrying her.

"Alright," she said with a blushful smile. She had to admit, it was nice seeing the world at a different angle. Everything seemed small and delicate compared to her temporary height. It was a foreign feeling, a large contrast to watching the world tower over her.

Haruhi gently pushed her fingers through Takashi's hair, feeling the thickness fill the empty space between her digits, and light-heartedly confessed, "I now see why Hunny enjoyed riding your shoulders. It's a beautiful view."

Takashi responded by bracing her thighs and lightly bouncing her, grateful she couldn't see his mischievous grin. Her hands grasped his hair as she struggled to find her balance but Takashi tightened his grip on her thighs. He wouldn't let her slip off.

"Hey," she spat out her words between hiccups of laughter, "you'll make me fall!"

She felt his lips kiss the inside of her thigh. It tickled at first but his kiss left remnants of arousal. She silently thanked her mother in Heaven he couldn't see the deep blush on her cheeks.

"I won't let you fall." He reassured, picking up his speed as they rounded another turn.

"But you have once before." Haruhi whispered, more to herself, but Takashi's ears were keen to pick up her voice.

"Hm?"

Haruhi tenderly squeezed her thighs against him – a gesture that soothed him.

"Isn't it obvious?" she chuckled, "I've fallen for you."


End file.
